Crystal Palace have given their manager, Tony Pulis, considerable backing on transfer deadline day by sanctioning a quintet of recruits to bolster their attempts to avoid relegation, including the loan of the England Under-21 forward, Thomas Ince, from Blackpool.

Ince completed a five-month move as the cut-off approached after Palace finally secured an agreement with the Championship team's chairman, Karl Oyston. The top-flight club have paid a £1m loan fee for the 22-year-old, who will be available for 14 matches though not Sunday's visit to Arsenal, with Stephen Dobbie joining Blackpool for a fourth time in his career until the end of the season.

Only the Wales goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessey, and Jason Puncheon of the new arrivals will be eligible for the trip to the Emirates. Hennessey signed a three-and-a-half-year contract after moving from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £1.5m, while Puncheon's £1.75m arrival from Southampton on a permanent deal to 2018 freed up a loan slot for Ince to occupy. The winger had already been at Selhurst Park on a season-long deal and has contributed all the club's league goals this calendar year.

The Blackburn Rovers centre-half, Scott Dann, has also signed up to 2017 after a fee of around £1.7m was agreed with the Championship club, while Celtic's Joe Ledley has moved south for £450,000. The Wales midfielder was out of contract at Parkhead in the summer.

Palace opted against pursuing a striker with last season's top scorer, Glenn Murray, nearing full fitness after a cruciate knee ligament injury.

The south London club also allowed their Spain Under-21 international, José Campaña, to join the Bundesliga club Nuremberg on loan to the end of the season with a view to a permanent move.